Falmouth Stakes Betting Preview

Even now aged six, Soviet Song's powers don't appear to have diminished in the slightest, and the James Fanshawe-trained mare will be a popular choice for the UAE Equestrian And Racing Federation Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday, for which she is quite rightly a short-priced favourite. The daughter of Marju has won the last two renewals of this race, which was upgraded to Group 1 status in 2004, and on each occasion members of the Classic generation have failed to dethrone the undisputed queen of the milers - even dual 1000 Guineas heroine Attraction couldn't get within two and a half lengths of her in '04. However, all good things come to an end and Soviet Song's roll in this race might be a case in point, as Nannina, a top-priced 5/2 with VC Bet, could be about to usurp her at the summit of the fillies and mares pecking order. The John Gosden-trained three-year-old endured a troubled preparation ahead of the 1000 Guineas in May, and she failed to fire on the soft going, coming home a well beaten 12th of the thirteen-strong field. But she bounced back in no uncertain terms on her favoured fast ground when beating Flashy Wings by two lengths in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last month. That contest boasted the best of the best in terms of the current crop of fillies over a mile and the manner of Nannina's victory was mightily impressive and the race was ran in a time nearly half a second quicker than the colts' equivalent, the St James's Palace Stakes, a day earlier. John Gosden, who won this race with Ryafan in 1997, is as astute a trainer as there is on the circuit and he wouldn't pitch the Medicean filly in against her elders if he didn't think she was up to the task. Indeed, she proved herself to be the leading juvenile filly when mastering subsequent Oaks winner Alexandrova in the Fillies' Mile last season. Her Coronation Stakes performance incontrovertibly makes her the best member of the fairer sex among her generation and now she can stamp her authority against the older brigade. Soviet Song is a credit to her connections and she dispelled any conjecture that she wasn't the force of old when sprinting away from her rivals in the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot, beating Echelon and co. by upwards of two lengths but winning with more in hand than the bare winning margin. With her high cruising speed and potent turn of foot, Soviet Song is always going to be a force to be reckoned with, and she will take a good deal of beating, but Nannina looks capable of matching strides with her and if this race does, as I expect, turn out to be a battle between the pair inside the final furlong, I reckon that the three-year-old will display the greater resolution. This isn't, however, a two-horse race. Sir Michael Stoute's Peeress will offer plenty of resistance. Like Nannina, this mare runs in the colours of the Cheveley Park Stud, for whom she has proved highly successful. The five-year-old had Soviet Song back in fourth when landing the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May but as we all know, the latter is never at the top of her game on her seasonal reappearance. Peeress went onto finish a highly creditable fourth in the Queen Anne Stakes won by Ad Valorem, and she may have been closer but for being hampered inside the final furlong. I can't envisage her proving good enough to beat Nannina or Soviet Song but she won't be far away. Of the remaining four runners, the consistent Nasheej would have made more than a modicum of appeal as an each-way option had their been eight runners but with only seven in the line up, each-way punters only have two places to aim at. The rest look well held on all known form. Verdict - 2pts Nannina @ 5/2 (VC Bet)